System and method for verifying validity of a product

Abstract

A product validity verifying system for verifying validity of a product including a system management unit configured to collect specific information associated with components of a verification target product. The system also includes an electronic signature generating unit configured to generate an electronic signature based on specific information provided from the system management unit, and a verification unit configured to verify the validity of the target product based on making comparisons between specific information restored from the electronic signature and specific information provided from the system management unit.

1 . A product validity verifying system comprising: 
 a system management unit configured to collect specific information associated with components of a verification target product;    an electronic signature generating unit configured to generate an electronic signature based on the specific information provided from the system management unit; and    a verification unit configured to verify the validity of the target product based on making comparisons between restored specific information restored from the electronic signature and the specific information provided from the system-management unit.    
   
   
       2 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic signature generating unit generates the electronic signature from specific information provided from the system management unit based on a private key of a manufacturer of the target product.  
   
   
       3 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 2 , wherein the verification unit is provided from the manufacturer to a customer of the target product and restores the restored specific information from the electronic signature based on a public key corresponding to the private key and verify the validity of the target product based on making comparisons between the restored specific information and the specific information provided from the system management unit.  
   
   
       4 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit restores the restored specific information from the electronic signature stored in the target product.  
   
   
       5 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit and the electronic signature are provided from the manufacturer to a customer of the target product, and wherein the verification unit restores the restored specific information from the electronic signature.  
   
   
       6 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system management unit is included in the target product.  
   
   
       7 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system management unit collects at least one of specific information associated with hardware of the target product and specific information associated with software of the target product, and wherein the system management unit generates specific information for the whole target product from collected specific information.  
   
   
       8 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 7 , wherein the system management unit provides specific information for the whole target product to a requester.  
   
   
       9 . The product validity verifying system according to  claim 7 , wherein the specific information of hardware is stored in a tamper-proof computer readable product built in the hardware.  
   
   
       10 . A verification target apparatus comprising: 
 a system management unit configured to collect specific information associated with components of a target product and provide specific information to a requester according to a request from the requestor.    
   
   
       11 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the requestor is a verification unit for verifying the validity of the target product.  
   
   
       12 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the requester is an electronic signature generating unit for generating an electronic signature.  
   
   
       13 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 an operation panel configured to receive input information from an operator and display various information for the operator; and    an encryption unit configured to encrypt the input information and the specific information,    wherein the system management unit provides specific information with the encryption unit according to a request of the encryption unit which is the requester.    
   
   
       14 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the encryption unit displays the encryption result on the operation panel.  
   
   
       15 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the system management unit collects at least one of specific information associated with hardware of the target product and specific information associated with software of the target product, and wherein the system management unit generates specific information for a whole target product from collected specific information.  
   
   
       16 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the system management unit provides specific information for the whole target product to the requester.  
   
   
       17 . The verification target apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the specific information of hardware is stored in a tamper-proof computer readable product built in the hardware.  
   
   
       18 . A method for verifying the validity of a target product comprising: 
 collecting specific information associated with components of a target product;    generating an electronic signature based on the specific information provided from the collecting step; and    verifying the validity of the target product based on making comparisons between restored specific information restored from the electronic signature and the specific information provided from the collecting step.    
   
   
       19 . A method for verifying the validity of a target product comprising: 
 a first specific information providing step collects specific information associated with components of a target product according to a request of an electronic signature generating unit for generating an electronic signature and provides the specific information to the electronic signature generating unit;    an electronic signature generating step generates an electronic signature based on the specific information provided by the first specific information providing step;    a second specific information providing step collects the specific information associated with components of the target product according to a request of a verification unit for verifying the validity of the target product and provides the specific information to the verification unit; and    a verification step verifies the validity of the target product based on making comparisons between restored specific information restored from the electronic signature and the specific information provided by the second specific information providing step.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the electronic signature generating step comprises generating an electronic signature from the specific information provided by the first specific information providing step, based on a private key of a manufacturer of the target product.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the verification step comprises restoring the restored specific information from the electronic signature stored in the target product.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the verification step comprises restoring the electronic signature provided from a manufacturer of the target product to a customer with the verification unit.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the system management unit is included in the target product.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first specific information providing step and the second specific information providing step comprise collecting at least one of specific information associated with hardware of the target product and specific information associated with software of the target product, generating specific information for the whole target product from collected specific information, and providing specific information for the whole target product to a requestor.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the specific information of hardware is stored in a tamper-proof computer readable product built into the hardware.  
   
   
       26 . A method for providing specific information in a verification target apparatus comprising: 
 collecting specific information associated with components of the target apparatus; and    providing specific information to a verification unit for verifying the validity of the target apparatus according to a request of the verification unit.    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising the step of providing the specific information to an electronic signature generating unit for generating an electronic signature according to a request of the electronic signature generating unit.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving input information from an operator through an operation panel and displaying various information on the operation panel for the operator; and    providing the specific information to an encryption unit for encrypting input information and the specific information according to a request of the encryption unit.    
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising the step of displaying the encryption result on the operation panel.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the specific information providing step comprises collecting at least one of specific information associated with hardware of the target product and specific information associated with software of the target product, generating specific information for the whole target product from collected specific information, and providing the specific information for the whole target product to a requestor.  
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the specific information of the hardware is stored in a tamper-proof computer readable-product built into the hardware.  
   
   
       32 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of components;    means for collecting specific information associated with said plurality of components and for providing the specific information to an electronic signature generating unit adapted to generate an electronic signature based on the specific information; and    means for providing the specific information to a requestor according to a request from the requester, whereby a comparison can be made between restored specific information from the electronic signature and the specific information provided to the requestor.